Astronomers See Distant Eruption as Black Hole Destroys Star
![Time lapse of jet expansion](https://public.nrao.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/nrao18df4a.gif)
For the first time, astronomers have directly imaged the formation and expansion of a fast-moving jet of material ejected when the powerful gravity of a supermassive black hole ripped apart a star that wandered too close to the cosmic monster. This animated gif shows the expansion the of radio-emitting region where the star was shredded by the supermassive black hole. The expansion indicates a jet of particles moving outward.
Credit: Mattila, Perez-Torres, et al.; Bill Saxton, NRAO/AUI/NSF
Categories:
Black Holes
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